Wireless patient monitoring system and method

• US 9,814,388 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Soro, Stanislava, Donehoo, Robert F., Pekander, Otto Valtteri
• Primary Examiner(s): Haile, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US15/041,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20170231495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A patient monitoring system includes at least two wireless sensing devices, each configured to measure a different physiological parameter from a patient and wirelessly transmit a parameter dataset. The system further includes a receiver that receives each parameter dataset, a processor, and a monitoring regulation module executable on the processor to assign one of the at least two wireless sensing devices as a dominant wireless sensing device and at least one of the remaining wireless sensing devices as a subordinate wireless sensing device. The physiological parameter measured by the dominant wireless sensing device is a key parameter and the parameter dataset transmitted by the dominant wireless sensing device is a key parameter dataset. The key parameter dataset from the dominant wireless sensing device is processed to determine a stability indicator. The subordinate wireless sensing device is then operated based on the stability indicator for the key parameter.

Claims

1. A patient monitoring system comprising:

at least two wireless sensing devices, each wireless sensing device configured to measure a different physiological parameter from a patient and wirelessly transmit a parameter dataset;

a receiver that receives each parameter dataset from each of the at least two wireless sensing devices;

a processor;

a monitoring regulation module executable on the processor to;

assign one of the at least two wireless sensing devices as a dominant wireless sensing device and at least one of the remaining wireless sensing devices as a subordinate wireless sensing device, wherein the physiological parameter measured by the dominant wireless sensing device is a key parameter and the parameter dataset transmitted by the dominant wireless sensing device is a key parameter dataset;

determine a stability indicator for the key parameter based on the key parameter dataset from the dominant wireless sensing device; and

selectively operate the subordinate wireless sensing device based on the stability indicator for the key parameter, wherein at least one of the subordinate wireless sensing devices is turned off when the stability indicator is within a predetermined range, such that the subordinate wireless sensing device no longer measures any physiological parameter from the patient or transmits any parameter dataset.

2. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the dominant wireless sensing device is operated to continuously measure the key parameter.

3. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on one of a diagnosis or a treatment history for the patient.

4. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the key parameter and dominant wireless sensing device are rotated amongst at least two of the two or more wireless sensing devices.

5. A method of monitoring a patient, the method comprising:

providing two or more wireless sensing devices, each wireless sensing device configured to measure a different physiological parameter from a patient and communicatively connected to a computing system having a processor;

assigning at the processor one of the at least two wireless sensing devices as a dominant wireless sensing device and at least one of the remaining wireless sensing devices as a subordinate wireless sensing device;

operating the dominant wireless sensing device to measure a key parameter from a patient and wirelessly transmit a key parameter dataset;

determining a stability indicator for the key parameter based on the key parameter dataset; and

selectively operating the at least one subordinate wireless sensing device based on the stability indicator for the key parameter, wherein selectively operating the subordinate wireless sensing device includes turning off at least one subordinate wireless sensing device when the stability indicator for the key parameter is within a predetermined range, such that the respective subordinate wireless sensing device does not measure any physiological parameter from the patient or transmit any parameter dataset.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising operating the dominant wireless sensing device to continuously measure the key parameter.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on one of a diagnosis or a medical history for the patient.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising assigning a new dominant wireless sensing device by selecting one of the subordinate wireless sensing devices to be the dominant wireless sensing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the new dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on previously transmitted parameter datasets or based on battery power constraints.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein selectively operating the subordinate wireless sensing device includes operating at least one of the subordinate wireless sensing devices upon determining that the stability indicator for the key parameter is outside of a predetermined range.

11. A patient monitoring system comprising:

at least two wireless sensing devices, each wireless sensing device configured to measure a different physiological parameter from a patient and wirelessly transmit a parameter dataset;

a receiver that receives each parameter dataset from each of the at least two wireless sensing devices;

a processor;

a monitoring regulation module executable on the processor to;

assign one of the at least two wireless sensing devices as a dominant wireless sensing device and at least one of the remaining wireless sensing devices as a subordinate wireless sensing device, wherein the physiological parameter measured by the dominant wireless sensing device is a key parameter and the parameter dataset transmitted by the dominant wireless sensing device is a key parameter dataset;

determine a stability indicator for the key parameter based on the key parameter dataset from the dominant wireless sensing device; and

selectively operate the subordinate wireless sensing device based on the stability indicator for the key parameter, wherein at least one of the subordinate wireless sensing devices is operated in a low power mode when the stability indicator for the key parameter is within a predetermined range, such that the respective subordinate wireless sensing device does not transmit any parameter dataset.

12. The patient monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the subordinate wireless sensing device in the low power mode continuously measures the respective physiological parameter from the patient and stores a predetermined amount of most recent parameter data.

13. The patient monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the subordinate wireless sensing device in the low power mode measures the respective physiological parameter from the patient at a predefined interval and stores a predetermined amount of most recent parameter data.

14. The patient monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on one of a diagnosis or a treatment history for the patient.

15. The patient monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the key parameter and dominant wireless sensing device are rotated amongst at least two of the two or more wireless sensing devices.

16. A patient monitoring system comprising:

at least two wireless sensing devices, each wireless sensing device configured to measure a different physiological parameter from a patient and wirelessly transmit a parameter dataset;

a receiver that receives each parameter dataset from each of the at least two wireless sensing devices;

a processor;

a monitoring regulation module executable on the processor to;

assign one of the at least two wireless sensing devices as a dominant wireless sensing device and at least one of the remaining wireless sensing devices as a subordinate wireless sensing device, wherein the physiological parameter measured by the dominant wireless sensing device is a key parameter and the parameter dataset transmitted by the dominant wireless sensing device is a key parameter dataset;

determine a stability indicator for the key parameter based on the key parameter dataset from the dominant wireless sensing device; and

selectively operate the subordinate wireless sensing device based on the stability indicator for the key parameter, including assigning a measurement interval for each of the one or more subordinate wireless sensing devices based on the stability indicator.

17. The patient monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on one of a diagnosis or a treatment history for the patient.

18. The patient monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the key parameter and dominant wireless sensing device are rotated amongst at least two of the two or more wireless sensing devices.

19. A method of monitoring a patient, the method comprising:

providing two or more wireless sensing devices, each wireless sensing device configured to measure a different physiological parameter from a patient and communicatively connected to a computing system having a processor;

assigning at the processor one of the at least two wireless sensing devices as a dominant wireless sensing device and at least one of the remaining wireless sensing devices as a subordinate wireless sensing device;

operating the dominant wireless sensing device to measure a key parameter from a patient and wirelessly transmit a key parameter dataset;

determining a stability indicator for the key parameter based on the key parameter dataset; and

selectively operating the at least one subordinate wireless sensing device based on the stability indicator for the key parameter, including operating at least one of the subordinate wireless sensing devices in a low power mode when the stability indicator for the key parameter is within a predetermined range, such that the subordinate wireless sensing device does not transmit any parameter dataset.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on one of a diagnosis or a medical history for the patient.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising assigning a new dominant wireless sensing device by selecting one of the subordinate wireless sensing devices to be the dominant wireless sensing device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the new dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on previously transmitted parameter datasets or based on battery power constraints.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the subordinate wireless sensing device in the low power mode continuously measures a physiological parameter from the patient and stores a predetermined amount of most recent measurement data.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the subordinate wireless sensing device in the low power mode measures a physiological parameter from the patient at a predefined interval and stores a predetermined amount of most recent measurement data.

25. A method of monitoring a patient, the method comprising:

providing two or more wireless sensing devices, each wireless sensing device configured to measure a different physiological parameter from a patient and communicatively connected to a computing system having a processor;

assigning at the processor one of the at least two wireless sensing devices as a dominant wireless sensing device and at least one of the remaining wireless sensing devices as a subordinate wireless sensing device;

operating the dominant wireless sensing device to measure a key parameter from a patient and wirelessly transmit a key parameter dataset;

determining a stability indicator for the key parameter based on the key parameter dataset; and

selectively operating the at least one subordinate wireless sensing device based on the stability indicator for the key parameter, including assigning a measurement interval for each of the one or more subordinate wireless sensing devices based on the stability indicator.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on one of a diagnosis or a medical history for the patient.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising assigning a new dominant wireless sensing device by selecting one of the subordinate wireless sensing devices to be the dominant wireless sensing device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the new dominant wireless sensing device is assigned based on previously transmitted parameter datasets or based on battery power constraints.